The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

The Law is not executed according to the Letter of it, for then no sinner can be saved: but repenting Believers are free from condemnation. Nor is it abrogated, for then no obligation remains as to the duty, or penalty of it: but Men are still bound to obey it, and impenitent Infidels are still under the Curse: The Wrath of God abides upon them. But 'tis relaxed as to the punishment, by the merciful condescension of the Lawgiver.

The Law is not executed according to the Letter of it, for then no sinner can be saved: but repenting Believers are free from condemnation. Nor is it abrogated, for then no obligation remains as to the duty, or penalty of it: but Men are still bound to obey it, and impenitent Infidels are still under the Curse: The Wrath of God abides upon them. But 'tis relaxt as to the punishment, by the merciful condescension of the Lawgiver.

Some Laws are not capable of relaxation in their own nature: because there is included moral iniquity in the relaxation. As the commands to love God, and obey Conscience, can never lose their binding force. 'Tis an universal rule that suffers no exception, God cannot deny himself; therefore he can never allow sin, that directly opposes the perfections of His Nature. Besides, some Laws cannot be relaxt ex hypothesi, upon the account of the Divine Decree which makes them irrevocable, as that all who die in their impenitency shall be damned. Now there was no express sign annexed to the Sanction of the original Law, to intimate, that it should be unalterable as to the letter of it. The threatening declared the desert of Sin in the Offender, and the right of punishing in the Superior; but 'tis so to be understood, as not to frustrate the power of the Law-giver, to relax the punishment upon wise and just reasons.

Some Laws are not capable of relaxation in their own nature: because there is included moral iniquity in the relaxation. As the commands to love God, and obey Conscience, can never lose their binding force. 'Tis an universal rule that suffers no exception, God cannot deny himself; therefore he can never allow sin, that directly opposes the perfections of His Nature. Besides, some Laws cannot be relaxt ex hypothesi, upon the account of the Divine Decree which makes them irrevocable, as that all who die in their impenitency shall be damned. Now there was no express sign annext to the Sanction of the original Law, to intimate, that it should be unalterable as to the letter of it. The threatning declared the desert of Sin in the Offender, and the right of punishing in the Superior; but 'tis so to be understood, as not to frustrate the power of the Law-giver, to relax the punishment upon wise and just reasons.